THE PUNISHMENT
by Saeshmea
Summary: Set during 1997-98 in Hogwarts. The Carrows have been victims of some pranks and the mysterious responsible for them is threatened with a medieval punishment that Minerva doesn't think is fair. In order to protect her students, the transfiguration teacher will accept the responsibility and be punished herself. This will awake the tension between her and Severus, the new headmaster.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters of the Harry Potter saga (obviously), neither the places or anything to do with the HP world... as we all know they belong to JK Rowling (and also to WB studios :P) but since I get no profit other than enjoying my time by writing these fanfics I don't think this disclaimer is needed.**

**A/N: ****I know, it looks like I am only starting new stories and never finishing my old ones... but I am so inspired lately that I can't help it...**

**I apologize in advance for the grammar and spelling mistakes you will surely find... I hope you enjoy the story ^.^**

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**Chapter 1 - The power of a lie  
**.

Severus

.  
I don't think Dumbledore had really thought through the consequences of his death. Although he had given me some instructions to follow once he was gone we had never talked about the future of the school.  
Maybe he did know that having control of the Ministry, the Dark Lord would take control of the school as well and make me Headmaster; maybe that was in Dumbledore's plan and he just didn't tell me. But I prefer to think it wasn't because that would mean he was aware that things like the events of October 27th could happen...

.

* * *

Minerva

.  
_It was after dinner, while all the students of Gryffindor were in the common room enjoying their time before going to bed, when I heard a strong voice outside and a lot of noise. I went out of my bedroom, wand in hand in case I had to put some order, only to find my children standing like soldiers in formation. _  
_"What's going on?" I demanded but I was ignored._  
_I noticed most of them were laughing under their nose, others were trembling in fear. I didn't need to see him to know the Headmaster was in the room; but I crossed the formation of students anyway. Once I was standing in front of Severus I understood what was causing the silent laughs... The Headmaster of Hogwarts had came in accompanied by the Carrows, who had been victims of some pranks during the last days. Alecto Carrow was wearing a bright pink dress that didn't suit her at all... the day before someone had dyed her entire wardrobe in pink with some spell she couldn't reverse; Amycus, was wearing a ridiculous hat to hide her newly baldness... apparently somebody had poisoned his soup with a hair-growing potion which effects could only be stopped by shaving once hair... so now, not only the top of his head was hairless, but he also had no mustache, no beard, no eyebrows and I may guess... no hair at all in his entire body. The scene was quite funny._  
_"We know that whoever is responsible for the attacks professors Alecto and Amycus Carrow have receive is a student of this house..." the Headmaster said._  
_"Severus, I won't let you accuse my students like that," I felt the urge to interrupt._  
_"I am not accusing, professor McGonagall," he said, remarking the formality of his tone, "we know it for sure because a graffiti appeared this afternoon on the wall at the top of the main stairs saying 'you won't stop us' and signed with a Gryffindor shield."_  
_The students broke their silence and began to whisper._  
_"Anybody in the school could have done it with the intention of putting the guild on my students and you know that, Severus," I pointed out._  
_"Don't be silly!" Alecto yelled, "Come on, who did it?!" she asked to the students._  
_"Alecto, please..." I heard the headmaster whispering to the Muggle Studies teacher and then he looked to the students, "If anybody," he said, "knows who the responsible of these acts is I suggest you tell us right now so he can receive the punishment he deserves..." he stopped and then kept going, "Otherwise, there'll be consequences for each of you..." he threatened._  
_"May I ask what kind of punishment he deserves..." I wondered._  
_"Of course," the headmaster said and looked at Amycus before answering, "professor Carrow suggested that, in order to give example to the rest of students, the vandal responsible for their attacks would be publicly lashed."_  
_"What?!" I exclaimed horrorized as a loud noise raised behind me, "Are you serious?"_  
_"We must give example," Alecto said._  
_"They must learn the lesson..." Amycus added._  
_"By being treated as middle age slaves?!" I yelled losing my temper, "Severus this is enough, we can't treat our students like that, for Merlin's sake..."_  
_"Stop it, professor McGonagall," he said staring at me, "the punishment won't be changed."_  
_"...but it's illegal..." I said with a lower voice, all of a sudden feeling impotent to help my students._  
_"I am the law in this school, professor McGonagall... and unless you are going to give me the name of the offender I suggest you stop interrupting me."_  
_I looked around and saw the fear on the children eyes... even if it was true that one of them was the responsible for those childish pranks, none of them deserved to suffer that horrible pain and I would do anything to prevent it._  
_"I did it," I said._

TO BE CONTINUED...


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: ****Thank you very much for all your comments ^^ It had been a long time since one of my stories got so interest in such a short time.**

**I apologize in advance for the grammar and spelling mistakes you will surely find... I hope you enjoy the story ^.^**

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Severus

"I did it," she lied and there was a long silence after that.  
I couldn't believe she was doing that, but after all, what else could be awaited from the good and fair Minerva McGonagall? No, I wouldn't let her do that...  
"Professor, yours is a loyal gesture towards your students, but we both know that's not true and we are looking for the real offenders," I said.  
"I know, that's why I am telling you it was me," she insisted, "I dyed Alecto's dresses and poisoned Amycus' soup; I even wrote that message at the top of the main stairs and signed it with my house shield."  
"Professor McGonagall, please..." I said about to lose my temper.  
"Severus, what does it matter?" Alecto whispered to me.  
"As long as we have somebody to punish and give example to the rest of the school we should be happy..." Amycus added.  
"And who could be better than a professor!" Alecto pointed with excitement, "we'll be able to show all them our power..."  
"This is not what we were looking for..." I tried to interrupt.  
"I know, it's much better," Amycus showed his excitement too.  
"Is anything the matter, headmaster?" Minerva asked above the murmur of voices coming from the students.  
I looked at Alecto and then at her brother and went back to Minerva. I sighed trying to gain control of myself again. "Professor McGonagall," I began, "are you saying you are the responsible of the attacks against the Carrows and that you accept to get punished for them?"  
"Yes, I am," she said and she smirked at me like if she'd won some kind of battle.  
"In that case, everybody to bed," I ordered, "professor McGonagall, please, a word in private."

_Minerva_  
_._  
_I followed him through the corridors of Hogwarts to the Headmaster's office. I hadn't got used yet to the idea that it wasn't Dumbledore's office anymore. Once we were inside he closed the door and started the fire with a movement of his wand._  
_"Have you become crazy?" he shouted._  
_"Me?" I yelled, "YOU are the one who came into MY house and threatened MY students with medieval punishments."_  
_"You will withrow your confession so we can find the real responsible..." he said and I left go a giggle._  
_"I won't."_  
_"Minerva, I won't let you get lashed in public by Amycus Carrow."_  
_"Of course not, you'd rather see a student suffering, right?"_  
_"It's not that..." he murmured, "You could... apologize... Yes, that's it... You will apologize to Amycus and Alecto and we'll convince them that there's no need for a physical punishment." he ordered. _  
_"Severus, you may be Headmaster of this school now but that doesn't mean I am going to please each of your demands," I said, "I never did with Albus' and I am certainly not going to do it with yours."_  
_"If this is your opinion, why did you stay?"_  
_"For the same reason all of us did," I said talking in name of all my colleagues, "to protect the innocent children who come into this school to learn magic, from you and your master..."_  
_"He is not my master anymore, Minerva... I thought you knew it..."_  
_"Why do you keep lying to me after... you killed Dumbledore..." I said making an effort not to cry, "...you killed him and took his place..." I felt some tears coming down my cheeks but I didn't took my eyes away from his, "... you opened the doors of this fortress to Voldemort, you betrayed all of us." I dried my tears, "Is there anything else you wanted to say to me?"_  
_"I am sorry..." he said after a short silence. I made my way to the door and left without saying anything else._

TO BE CONTINUED...


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: ****In response to one of the comments I must say I don't know where the story is going either... I just had a few "scence"/moments in my mind and I am trying to build a story with them... I only hope I don't end up spoiling it like I've done with some fics before...**

**I apologize in advance for the grammar and spelling mistakes you will surely find...**

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Chapter 3 - The truth knocks the door

Severus

If I could go back in time and change only one event in my life... I wouldn't have killed Dumbledore. But do not mistake me, this is not an act of mercy, I wouldn't have pushed him down the clock tower because he didn't deserve such a quick death... but because he deserved to die slowly and painfully because of that curse.  
His last demand had caused me to lose the trust of all the people around me... I wasn't wanted in Hogwarts and I didn't wanted to be with the Dark Lord... I was living in misery and nobody seemed to care or notice.

_Minerva_  
_._  
_When I came back to the tower of Gryffindor it seemed all my students decided to ignore their Headmaster's order and stay awake instead of going to bed. They were waiting for me and as soon as I crossed the Fat Lady's picture they began to shoot questions at me._  
_"Please, children, one at a time," I asked._  
_"Professor, are they going to punish you?" a second-year girl asked._  
_"Yes, they are," I said._  
_"But you did nothing," somebody exclaimed from the back._  
_"Well, I accepted the responsibility..."_  
_"Are they really going to lash you?" a fourth-year boy asked in concern._  
_"That's what they said."_  
_"Can they really do that?" another girl questioned._  
_"I'm afraid that they can do whatever they want now that the Ministry is in hands of the Dark Lord, children..." I didn't wanted to lie to them, "but you don't need to worry, because they'll have to kill me before they can harm you..."_  
_"Can we do something for you, professor?"_  
_"Of course you can, you can all go to bed, now, come on..." I watched them climb the stairs and then I went into my bedroom... as soon as I had closed the door somebody knocked at it and I let him come in. My late visitor was one of my most dear students, not because of his cleverness but because I knew him since he was a little boy. _  
_"What's the matter, Longbottom?" I asked._  
_"Professor, I'd like to talk to the Headmaster..." he said._  
_"What for?" _  
_"Because I should be the one taking the responsibility for the attacks..." _  
_"Do you want me to believe that you are the one who dyed Alecto's dresses and poisoned Amycus Carrow?"_  
_"I...," he murmured._  
_"Oh, Longbottom, please... I am very tired to listening to this nonsense and you are too..." I said, but he interrupted me._  
_"Professor, during the year that professor Umbridge was Headmistress of the school some of us created a group of students to learn advanced magic on our own and fight her unfair rules..."_  
_"Dumbledore's Army, I do remember... What does this have to do with anything?" I wondered._  
_"We have reunited this group," Longbottom said, "and since Harry is not here this year I am kind of the lider... we made those pranks to the Carrows... everything except the graffiti." _  
_"I see, and you want to take the responsibility..." I said._  
_"Yes, ma'am... should we tell the headmaster now?"_  
_"No, of course not... none of my students will get lashed at any circumstance."_  
_"But..." he opened his mouth but I interrupted him._  
_"Longbottom, you will go to your bed and have a nice long sleep... and tomorrow, when you talk to these friends of yours you tell them to use a more painful potion than a hair-growing one the next time."_  
_"Professor, are you seriously..."_  
_"Yes, Longbottom, I am giving you permission to make the Carrow's stay in our castle their worst nightmare..." I smiled and walked him to the door, "They think tomorrow's punishment will stop any kind of resistance, we can't let them think that..."_

TO BE CONTINUED...


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: ****First of all I'd like to thank Shadow Huntress, Saramagician and the rest of people who left a review or added my story to their follows or favourites You are the reason why I keep writing fanfiction, because it's always nice to have a response on ones work (good or bad). **

**Secondly... well, at this point I have reached all I had thought for this story so I don't know how long it will take before I post a new update. It may be days, it may be weeks... depending on my inspiration... I'll try to concentrate on other stories meanwhile, but if you have any suggestion for this fic I am open to them. **

**Thanks for reading and being patient with me ^.^**

**I apologize in advance for the grammar and spelling mistakes you will surely find...**

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**Chapter 4 - What nobody wanted to do**

Severus

When I finally accepted that I wasn't going to get any sleep that night, I came out from my bed sheets and walked into the office. I served myself a large glass of firewhiskey and sat on the headmaster's desk. Merlin! It had been months and I wasn't able to call it my desk yet! But this is how I felt it... it would always be Dumbledore's desk and I felt like if I had stole it from him just like I had done with his office, his school and everything else around me except for Minerva's trust and loyalty... no, that would always belong to Albus.  
I had a sip of my poison and then rested my back on the armchair with my eyes closed. What was I supposed to do?  
When the sunlight began to come in through the large window of the headmaster's office I decided it was time to get dress and face the events of the day.  
On my way down to the Main Hall I heard the words professor and punishment being whispered by students of different houses. It's well known how easily rumors are spread around in Hogwarts, that wouldn't be any different. When I reached the top of the main stairs I was joined by the Carrows, who seemed to have decide to become my shadow for the entire year ahead.  
"Good morning headmaster," they said.  
"Morning," I muttered with no interest in beginning any conversation with the two wizards who had made my new existence in Hogwarts, even worse.  
"Are you ready for the announcement?" Alecto asked.  
"Have you thought which words to begin with?", Amycus added. I had absolutely no idea of what they were talking about so I looked both of them confused.  
"Which announcement?" I wondered.  
"You obviously must make an official announcement of professor McGonagall's punishment if we want all the school to watch..."  
"About that..." I began, "I don't think..."  
"Having last time regrets, Severus?" Amycus asked implying something in her tone that I didn't like, "I don't think the Dark Lord..."  
"I don't think an announcement is needed, but if you think so..." I had to correct myself. I had to put an end to that situation soon or I would end up blowing my cover...  
We entered the Main Hall together and everybody sat in their place in silence. I looked for Minerva in the professors table concerned about her but she was spreading some butter on her toast as if it was a usual day.  
As the Carrows sat down I stood in front of the large table facing the students.

.  
_Minerva_  
_._  
_"Now what?" I heard Rolanda say and I raised my eyes to see what was going on. Our new Headmaster was standing in front of the students and beginning to talk._  
_"Yesterday," he said, "we found the person responsible for the recent attacks to professors Amycus and Alecto Carrow. She confessed and she will be punished in public today at midday in order to serve as an example for all of you..."_  
_"I wonder who the poor girl is..." Pomona whispered next to Rolanda._  
_"I bet they made her confessed by torturing her..." Hooch added. I couldn't believe they hadn't heard what had happened in our common room last night and I was sorry that they were about to know..._  
_"Students, professors," Severus kept talking, "in a few hours you will witness the punishment of your so belonged professor McGonagall..."_  
_"Minerva!?" Rolanda exclaimed next to me. Fortunately her voice got confused among the loud whispering that started all of a sudden. "Is that true?" she asked._  
_"He was going to punish one of my children..." I told her and Pomona who was obviously listening._  
_"So you offered volunteered to be humiliated in front of the entire school?"_  
_"Rolanda, I couldn't let them harm one of the children... not even if they had found the real responsible..."_  
_"This is unbelievable!" Pomona yelled._  
_"If Dumbledore could see it..."_  
_"Well, Rolanda, Dumbledore is not here to say or do anything so it's up to us to protect our students..." I said._  
_"Not by receiving their punishments..." she was obviously not understanding at all._

.  
Severus

After five long hours, the midday arrived and I was standing between the Carrows for Minerva to come to the courtyard. She came accompanied by her closest friends, who stayed a few steps further as Minerva approached us.  
"Professor, your wand, please." Amycus said and Minerva willingly took her wand from her right pocket and handed it to him. "Severus," he said making a gesture to the center of the yard.  
"Minerva, please," I said so she would follow me. I walked her to the middle of the square courtyard that was surrounded my students and professors. I don't think all of them were aware of what they were here to see. "Please, Minerva, beg for mercy..." I whispered.  
"And act like a coward... never." she said with proud. I sighted understanding there was nothing I could do to convince her.  
"I am supposed to give you some instructions," I said, "so you will stand right here in the center, you're aloud to move but you will always have to return to your position... you will receive two lashes for every offence... that makes..." I was talking slowly, trying to make time...  
"That makes it six," she said impatiently, "go with your masters before they get upset..."  
I didn't reply, it wasn't time for an argument. I returned to the Carrows and took Minerva's wand from Amycus; I would keep it.  
"She's ready," I said.  
Amycus moved ahead to be in line with Minerva. She was about ten feet from him, giving us her back. Amycus raised his wand threatening and with a fast move, he put it down in a diagonal movement. The force coming out from the wooden stick clashed against Minerva's back tearing up the fabric of her tartan dress and leaving a large red mark on her white skin. I don't think she emitted any sound of complain, but even if she had, it would have been silenced by the children's and professor's cries.  
"SAVAGES!" Hooch suddenly shouted coming towards us branding her wand against Amycus; but before she could pronounce any hex she was disarmed by Alecto, who used some spell to force the professor to stay still on her knees besides her.  
Amycus seemed to hit harder every time. After four lashes Minerva's blood was dripping down the grass and her legs began to tremble like if they weren't able to stand her weight anymore.  
The Carrow brother seemed to ignore that fact and raised his arm once more. Most of the children were covering their eyes or looking somewhere else. Even some professors weren't able to stand that spectacle any more. Pomona was crying out loud some steps behind on Filius arms and Hooch was trying to get free from Alecto's. Minerva wouldn't be able to stand it anymore. Before Amycus could put his wand down again I grabbed his wrist.  
"Stop," I said.  
"What's the matter now, Severus?", he wondered. Alright, I hadn't thought it very well... I couldn't risk it with the Carrows and put suspicions on me, I needed to be close to the Dark Lord in order to help Potter in his mission; but I couldn't stand there and watch an old friend being tortured doing nothing to help.  
"I'll finish the punishment," I said.  
"Of course," Amycus said and a smile of satisfaction was draw on his face and his sister's.

.  
_Minerva_  
_._  
_ The pain was making it hard for me to stay still... I wanted it to be finished the sooner as possible and I couldn't understand why they had stopped. I turned around to know what was going on and I saw no other but Severus taking the place of Amycus. I guess he couldn't resist the temptation of using the situation as an excuse to get back to me all the arguments we had had in the past and I had won. It only showed that all his concern towards me during the late hours had been nothing but an act. I regained my strength and stood still. Two more lashes and it would be over._

.  
Severus

When I put my arm down for the second and last time I felt relieved. It was over. I wanted to walk towards Minerva and help her but Amycus rested a hand on my shoulder and said something to me I payed no attention at. Flitwick and Pomfrey were the first to reach her and to prevent her from collapsing to the ground when she fainted. Some Gryffindor students, Hooch and Sprout run to the center of the courtyard as well as I was pulled away by the Carrows.  
"Let's go celebrate to my room," Alecto said, "I have a firewhisky bottle I was keeping for a good triumph."  
"That's a great idea, sister. Severus, you join us?"  
"I rather go back to my duties," I lied as I headed to the opposite direction. As soon as I was alone I apparated into the hospital wing and hided in Poppy's office. A moment later the doors were opened and the nurse and Filius came in carrying Minerva with a spell. She looked asleep. Rolanda and Pomona came in as well but the herbology teacher broke down into tears again and Flitwick and Hooch had to take her outside.  
Madam Pomfrey left as well and I took the moment to come out and approach Minerva, who was lying upside down on one of the beds.  
"Hello, headmaster," the nurse said coming back with some gauzes and a pot full of hot water.  
"I'll leave now," I said, guessing she wouldn't like me around.  
"You can stay, I can use some help..." she said. From all the people in the castle, Poppy was the only one who was still treating me like before... I didn't understood why but I really appreciated it. "Unless you have other duties to attend..."  
"No, no... what can I do?" I said willing to help in any way.  
"We must clean her wounds before I can apply anything so here you go..." she said leaving the gauzes and the water on the nearest table.  
In order to make a better job I tore up Minerva's dress completely so her entire back would be discover. There was so much blood that it was impossible to see the actual wounds. I grabbed a gauze, wet it and then began to clean the blood from her skin. I was afraid of hurting her so I made soft little movements, Poppy came back carrying several vials and without saying a word instructed me to be less gentle and more effective.  
"I don't want to hurt her..." I said.  
"It's too late for that," she pointed, "but don't worry, she's unconscious now so she won't feel anything..."  
"Will she be alright?" I wondered.  
"Yes, of course," she answered as she looked for something in a cabinet, "Minerva is a strong witch and there are no bones broken..."  
"What about the scars?" I asked when the wounds began to be clear at my eye.  
"Yes, they'll stay there but those won't be the only ones..." after Poppy said that I realized there were marks of older wounds under her neck and at one side of her back, and there might be more on those parts of her body that were still covered, "you don't go through a war without getting any scar..." the nurse said coming back with a tray carrying various medical instruments. "It could have been worse..." she said in a tone that made me understand she was trying to comfort me.  
"Excuse me?" I asked not understanding what she was implying.  
"Don't worry, I'll keep it a secret if you want, but I noticed..."  
"Noticed what?" I was confused.  
"That your lashes were more gentle than professor Carrow's... you were trying not to harm her..." she said, and at that right moment the doors were opened and before I could turn around to see who was it, I heard her voice.  
"GET AWAY FROM HER!" Hooch yelled, "What is he doing here?!" she demanded to her friend. I turned around with my hands covered in Minerva's blood and tried to say something but Rolanda was too upset, "you did this to her, you traitor!" she took out her wand and I couldn't reach mine but somehow a protective shield was created between us before Rolanda's spell reached me.  
"Rolanda Hooch, you know I don't allow violence in the hospital wing so I ask you to leave," Poppy said branding her wand against her own friend.  
"It's alright," I said, "I'll leave."

TO BE CONTINUED...


	5. Chapter 5 - keep the secret

**A/N: Hi everyone^.^ I hope you haven't lost interest in this story... I'm sorry for the update delay, it's taken longer than I thought to know how to continue it but I think I have enough to cover a couple more chapters and I hope I get inspired as I write so I can finish this (and some more of my stories) before Christmas holidays end.**

**For now... a change of POV to make things easier for me... I hope you don't mind... ;-) ENJOY!**

**** I apologize in advance for the grammar and spelling mistakes you will surely find...**

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The punishment - 5 - keep the secret

The hospital wing of hogwarts was usually a quiet and empty place, but since professor McGonagall had been punished in public, only at night you could hear no noise coming from behind its double door.  
At every hour of the day, if you stood at the hall, you could hear voices and laughs coming from the inside, and if you crossed the double door, you found yourself surrounded by dozens of flower buckets, hundreds of get well soon cards from the children, baskets full of sweets and candy and people... lots of people, children and professors, coming to cheer up their teacher and keep her company.  
"Shouldn't we do something about it?" Alecto Carrow asked as she walked by the hospital wing with her brother and Severus.  
"You made a martyr of her and now the children see her as a heroine... if you try to stop it now, you'll only make it worse..." was Severus answer.  
"Well, we'll let her be for now but I have a few ideas to put her down in her place once she get out from that hospital bed..." Amycus said with a mischievous smile on his lips.  
"I'm sure you do," Severus muttered, "now if you excuse me, I have work to do..." he said.  
"But it's dinner time!" Alecto exclaimed.  
"Unlike you two, I prefer eating on my own rather than being glared by the entire school in the main hall..." he said.  
Once he'd made sure the two professors were far enough, he went back on his steps and entered the hospital wing at the same time some students were coming out. He didn't walked towards Minerva's bed... he stayed at the door until the nurse, who had been left alone with her patient, noticed him and then went into her office followed by her.  
"You should talk to her," Poppy said after closing the door behind her.  
"I don't think she wants me to listen me..." he said.  
"That's it then, I can't keep her in here anymore, Minerva's anything but stupid and she knows she's fine enough to get back in her chambers and teaching again..."  
"No, you must keep her in here a few more days, until I've come up with something else..."  
"Severus, I've given you more time than I could, Minerva knows there's something going on... she's going back to her rooms tomorrow, so unless you come up with a better idea than having her prisoner in the hospital wing, you should tell her what Amycus wants to do..."  
"She wouldn't believe me, she doesn't trust me..." Severus said letting his body fall on the nurse's chair.  
"That's because you've done nothing but lying to her... now be brave and start being honest with that woman, Severus!" Poppy said showing a temper that was rarely seen on her.  
"I can't... let her go back to her rooms, I'll think of something..." and after that he left and the nurse came back to her patient's bed.

"What did the headmaster want?" Minerva wondered sitting up on the bed and taking some chocolates from the nearest basket.  
"He came to check up on you..."  
"Yes, sure... I bet he's dying to give my teaching position to some friend of his... I won't give him the pleasure..."  
"He's worried about you, Minerva..."  
"I'm in this bed because of him..." she responded.  
"He tried not to harm you, I saw it, his lashes hardly brushed your skin... how many times do I have to tell you?"  
"That's because he's a coward... he wasn't that gentle when he stunned Dumbledore at the clock tower..."  
"Oh, Minerva... if you could only look at him without all that resentment, you would see he's the same man we used to know..."  
"But I can't... Dumbledore is dead, he killed him, and that I can't forget."

* * *

Back in the Headmaster's office, Severus was having a large glass of firewhiskey near the fire... that had lately become her daily dinner time routine. He rested his head back and closed his eyes... During his early days as a Death Eater he had seen the Carrows "in action"... they had no mercy and they had fun with other's suffering... He specially remembered the time when they attacked a house on the east coast, it was the home of the then director of the Daily Prophet... they tortured to death the poor innocent man whose sin had been publishing an article about Dumbledore's fight against the Dark Lord and after, Amycus decided to have fun with the man's beautiful wife, who after savagely raping, he took with him to keep humiliating. That's why Severus knew very well what Amycus meant when he said he wanted to put Minerva down to her place and he wouldn't let that happen...  
For the past five weeks he had been able to keep Minerva in the nursery thanks to Poppy, but of course he knew that would do it for the entire year anyway... He had to think of something, he needed to keep Minerva away from Amycus, and if he couldn't enclose her then he would have to make her leave the castle.

* * *

It was dark and quiet in the Gryffindor dorms when a shadow rushed in and grabbed one of the sleeping students. The boy, unaware of what was happening struggled to get free until they reached the common room and at the light of the fire he could see his headmaster's face in front of him.  
"Kidnapping students at the moonlight, professor Snape?" the boy teased.  
"Don't play smart with me, Longbottom, we both know you're scared to death..." Severus said, letting go the boy and sitting down on one of the chairs. The common room was empty, of course, since it was past midnight already, "Have a sit."  
"What is that you want?" Neville wondered taking a chair not too close not too far from the headmaster.  
"I happen to know you are the lidder of some kind of resistance group..." the professor said with his usual tone.  
"I don't know what you're talking about..." Neville was nervous, his voice and hands trembled.  
"Of course you do... don't worry, I'm not here to harm you or ask you to stop whatever is it your group does..." Severus said, "I'm here to ask you a favour..."  
"We don't help traitors, professor..." Neville talked bravely and Severus breathed hard to keep his temper down.  
"I guess you do appreciate your head of house..."  
"Are you planning on punishing her again?"  
"No, but Amycus Carrow does... he wants to harm her and I want to prevent it to happen..."  
"Why?"  
"My reasons are none of your business, Longbottom." he glared at the boy and Neville shivered, "Now, I don't care what story you come up with, but I need you to convince her that she needs to leave and take her out from the school the sooner you can..."  
"Why don't you just fire her?"  
"Because she doesn't trust me, if I fire her she'll know I want her away and will make everything to stay... I want her far from the Carrows before it's too late and right now you're the only person who can help me keep her safe..."  
"Even if you're saying the truth, I can't help you... I don't know how to take her out from the school..."  
"Yes, you do..." Severus said smiling and suddenly showing a large picture of a young lady to the boy... "Let me introduce you to Ariadna Dumbledore... you will hang her in the room of requirement and she'll show you the way out... what you use the passage for will be none of my business as long as you take Minerva to safety."  
"Why are you doing this?" Neville asked taking the picture on his hands, "I mean, if you're in our side why...?"  
"Things are never easy, Longbottom, and I'm more useful as a traitor... so I hope you'll keep my secret and say nothing, not even to Minerva."  
"No, of course..."

TO BE CONTINUED...


	6. Chapter 6 - Death revealings

**** I apologize in advance for the grammar and spelling mistakes you will surely find...**

* * *

The punishment - 6 - death revealings

Minerva's POV

"Slowly, please..." Rolanda said again as she insisted on helping me climb the stairs.  
"Rolanda, I swear, if I hear you say slowly one more time I'll take out my wand," I threatened.  
"On your first day out of the hospital wing you should be careful..." she insisted.  
"Oh, please, it's not the first time I climb some stairs," I responded.  
"Professor McGonagall!" the voice of Alecto Carrow said from the hall and we turned around to look at her, "It's good to see you're back on your feet, I hope your back is not sore anymore..." she teased and I had to stop Rolanda from reaching her wand.  
"Not at all," I replied, "you can tell your brother that you need more than a few lashes to break me down..."  
"I will," Alecto said before leaving and Rolanda and I continued our way upstairs.  
"You should have let me stun her with a good spell," Hooch said.  
"Don't you worry, Rolanda... we'll get back at them when the time comes..."

* * *

Severus' POV

"You stupid kid!" I heard Alecto's voice yelling and I changed my direction to meet her at the library hall. She was standing in front of a third, maybe fourth, year Hufflepuff girl who apparently had spilled the content of the potions she was carrying on Alecto's dress. There was a small laughing crowd around them, who shut up after Alecto took out her wand. "You'll get punished for this!" she yelled, but as soon as she raised her arm some spell disarmed her and sent her to the other side of the hall making her crash against the stone wall. Before she could questioned who had attacked her, the crowed move apart and Minerva walked closer. I took my hands to my head and silent a cry... That woman never learns.  
"Get out," she asked to the children, "now, run, to your classes and common rooms!" she yelled and they obeyed.  
"How you dare..." Alecto stood up and made her wand fly to her hand. I hided behind a column not to be noticed as I thought how to stop the fight without taking sides...  
"I thought I made it clear no children would be unfairly punished as I am in the school..." Minerva said not taking her eyes away from Alecto's and branding her wand firmly.  
"Maybe it's time to finally get rid of you, then..." and without giving me much time to react, Alecto yelled "Avedakadevra!" I felt my heart stop beating for a moment, like if all the air around me was gone... and during that brief moment my eyes blinked and all I saw was Minerva...

* * *

Minerva's POV

I read her intentions on her eyes so I was able to build a protection shield around me before she had finished the curse. I was pulled back a few steps but I was unharmed... I glared at her with rage and clenched my fist... I wouldn't kill her, but I would make her pay for trying to kill me...  
I hadn't began to say my spell, when Severus came out from behind a column near her...  
"You should go back to your duties before you get hurt..." he said not looking at any of us, but we didn't move an inch, "I mean it, if you don't want to be packing your trunks tonight you should really go back to your rooms..." again, he talked looking at the ceiling, but I knew his threatens were thrown to me... like if he would fire his dear Death Eater friend... I let go a dry laugh and left.

* * *

Severus' POV

"That was not necessary at all," Alecto said like a child.  
"You tried to kill her..." I muttered.  
"I would have done it if you hadn't appeared all of a sudden..."  
I glowered at her and then I rushed out. I entered the old man's office closing the door with a big noise. I poured a large glass of scotch to myself and set the fire on.  
What's wrong with you?, I asked to myself as I walked around the room with long steps... She's Minerva... she's a friend... it's not right, it's not good... it's not safe... I emptied the glass down my throat and threw the glass to the fire with anger. "It's crazy!" I yelled out loud to nobody...  
It would be a lie if I said I had never thought of her in a different way but... back in the library hall, when I thought she was dead I felt I was dying too, I felt my life was over, I felt empty, miserable, I felt... the same way as the night Lilly died.  
"No, no!" I insisted on blaming the air, "I can't be in..." no... I couldn't be...  
But the thing was that recalling my memories I always found myself looking for her at the halls, spying her from the other side of the dinner table, gazing at her during the quidditch games... even last month, during the punishment, seeing her defenseless and abused produced me a mixture of anger and excitement... and later, at the hospital wing, having my hands on her naked skin was like being in heaven...  
No, that couldn't be... She had to leave the school the sooner as possible.

TO BE CONTINUED...**  
**

* * *

**A/N: Ok, I think I went a little too far with Severus so please tell me if you feel this way too... I am definitely unable to write a MM/SS only friendship story but I have the feeling this time I've totally forced it so please, if you feel that way while reading it tell me so I can rewrite this without any lovestory involved... at this point I've completely lost my objectivity with these characters and anything that involves them seems to sound good to me... u.u'  
BTW, I don't think I'll be able to resist it anymore and I'm pretty sure there'll be a couple new stories of mine coming up soon... **


	7. Chapter 7 - the morning she was gone

**** I apologize in advance for the grammar and spelling mistakes you will surely find...**

* * *

The punishment - 7 - the morning she was gone

Severus

When on Wednesday morning I passed by Minerva's classroom the noise the students where making made me step inside.  
"Silent!" I yelled, "Where is professor McGonagall?" I asked to the second year girl sitting right in front the teacher's desk.  
"She didn't come yet..." she answered and I looked at the wall clock to check the time. It was twenty minutes past from the time the class was supposed to begin.  
"The class is dismissed," I said before rushing out the classroom. Being late was something nobody would dare to associate with Minerva, so if she hadn't appeared in her class yet, I didn't think she would. I went to the greenhouses, where the seventh years were taking herbology, and asked Pomona to let Longbottom out for a moment.  
"Of course," she said making a gesture to the boy, who walked out of the class watched by all his companions, who I guess, were questioning my reasons for requiring him.  
"Longbottom," I said as we walked apart from the greenhouses, "I understand you could talk with professor McGonagall..." I was hoping with all my forces his answer was yes, because that would mean the reason of her missing was that she was out of the school and so, out of danger.  
"I did, I woke up earlier to meet her in her office this morning before breakfast," the boy explained and I let go a sigh of relief, "professor McGonagall let me in and I told her that some members of the Dumbledore's Army had heart professor Carrow's intention of harming her and that we'd like her to leave the school safely..."  
"That's great, Longbottom, so she accepted and everything went right, I guess..."  
"No," the boy said with a worried expression on his face.  
"What do you mean, no?"  
"The professor said she was no coward, that she would stay in Hogwarts because that was her duty," Longbottom stepped aside as my face changed from relief to worry.  
"If she is not gone, where is she?" I muttered as the boy kept talking.  
"We left professor McGonagall's office together and before leaving the common's room she said she would show professor Carrow that she can fight back when it's necessary..."  
"Fuck, that damn witch is insufferably stubborn!" I let go, "Did she come to breakfast?" I had to ask since I rarely stepped in the Great Hall during meals.  
"She didn't," Longbottom replied, jogging to follow my large steps.  
"What about the Carrows?"  
"Alecto did, but not Amycus..." he answered after thinking about it for a moment.  
"Do you have your wand with you, Longbottom?" I asked as we entered the Castle and made our way down to the dungeons.  
"I do, Sir."  
"Good, because I'll need you to back up me," I said and instead of turning left to the Slytherin Common room, we turned right were my private chambers and also Amycus' and Alecto's were.

* * *

"How do we know if professor McGonagall is in there?" Longbottom asked when we stopped in front of Carrow's bedroom door.  
"You create a distraction, and I go in..." I said.  
"A distraction?" the boy asked confused, "like what?" I raised my wand, pointed the door, and blew it up with a neat movement of my wand.  
"Like that," I said quickly casting an invisible charm on both of us before Amycus came out to see what happened.  
"Who's there?!" he yelled branding his wand to the air. He was half naked and sweaty, he looked to both sides of the corridor and not seeing anyone turned around and put the door back like if nothing had happened with the intention of going back inside but Longbottom already knew what to do, still invisible, he began to ran in the Common Room direction, throwing noisy and destructive spells all around the corridor. Amycus followed his path and I could go into his room.

* * *

The bedroom looked like if a tornado had passed, the floor was covered on books and broken vials and porcelain figures, the curtains and wall-portraits were ripped up and the furniture were upside down. The only thing that was on its place was the bed, were, as I had guessed, Minerva was lying down, half naked, with the only clothes that covered her torn and apparently unconscious.  
Not willing to risk it, I ran to her side, took her sleeping body on my arms and disapparated before Amycus came back.

* * *

Being able to apparate around the Castle grounds was maybe the only good thing of having become the Headmaster of Hogwarts.  
I left Minerva on my bed. Yes, I took her to the Headmaster chambers, the only place where Amycus wouldn't look after her.  
I asked Poppy to check on her and while she did her job I looked for Longbottom.  
"Professor Carrow followed me to the Hall and when he realized he was half naked in front of everybody he covered himself and went back to the dungeons..." he explained.  
"You did a good job, Longbottom," I said, looking at the boy into his eyes, "thank you."  
"I'm glad professor McGonagall is safe," he talked firmly, "is there anything else I can do for you, Sir.?" He looked back at me with no sign of that fear I was used to inspire on every children, further than than I'd say he was actually talking to me with loyalty, a treatment I'd never received back before. I rested a hand on his shoulder and offered him the best of my smiles, brief and shy, maybe not a real smile at all, but the best I could do.  
"You were very helpful, Longbottom, and you showed courage but I don't want to put you in any more danger. Go to your common room and tell your companions that the head of your house has been dismissed of her duties for a few time... the protection of the tower of Gryffindor will be on your hands until she returns."  
"That's a mission I'm glad to accept, Sir." he said before leaving.

* * *

Back in the private chambers of the Headmaster, mine since the beginning of the school year, I talked to Pomona after she checked Minerva.  
"So?"  
"She's fine," the nurse said and I let my body relax on the armchair of the sitting room, "she has a broken wrist and some bruises caused by several curses impacts but that's all... he didn't abused her."  
"Thank god," I let go, "when I saw her lying like that I though I'd been too late..."  
"You know this wouldn't have happened if you had told her to watch her back carefully..."  
"I made Longbottom tell her, I even gave him the way to take her out from the Castle... but she wouldn't listen to him, as she never listens to anyone..."  
"She would listen to you if you were honest to her..." Pomona said.  
"I won't need to, I've come up with the greatest idea to keep her safe..." I said.  
"Can I know what is it about?"  
"Here..." I smiled, "as long as she's in here, she'll be safe..."  
Pomona put down her eyes and let go a sigh.  
"I won't say anything else because you don't listen either, you'll do as you wish because you're the headmaster but I don't want to have anything to do with this... having Minerva prisoner is anything but a good idea, trust me, I know best." and after those words of wisdom, the nurse left.

TO BE CONTINUED...

* * *

**A/N: the only thing I know for sure at this point is that the last two chapters suck... so I'll try to mend that somehow. About Minerva and Severus having or not a lovestory... well... you already know my opinion so I can say there'll be something there that I don't know how will end.**


	8. Chapter 8

**** I apologize in advance for the grammar and spelling mistakes you will surely find...**

* * *

The punishment - 8

.  
Minerva

When I regained consciousness I didn't know where I was. Darkness was the only thing I could see but I knew I was lying on a bed and I could feel the nakedness of my body under some soft sheets.  
Where were my clothes? Where was I?  
Making some memory I remembered going into Amycus Carrow's private chambers on the morning to have a few words with him about his threats. I had knocked his door noisily and he'd let me in kindly, too kindly for a Death Eater. I remembered using some vulgar language and branding my wand towards him as he watched me like if I was some circus show. I was really angry because he'd dared frightening my children with harming me, which he had no right to do... Him and his sister were not only being unfair and dictatorial in running the school, but were now taking personal and irrational battles in the middle. I made it clear to him that I was down there to put an end to that, and that he could rather chose to dialogue with me or fight.  
He'd taken out his wand and attacked me. I defended myself and shot back. We dueled destroying every furniture in the room until I was hit by a stunning spell coming from my back. The last thing I remembered seeing before collapsing the ground on my left hand, was Alecto standing at the door frame.  
Fearing the worst, I guessed I still was in Amycus' chambers, in his bed, under his sheets, naked and wandless... so I could only leave the sooner the best.  
I sat up on the bed and my left wrist ached... it was then that I realized it was bandaged. Taking the bed sheets with me to cover my nudity, I walked towards the thin line of light coming from under the room's door and stepped into a small corridor with two other doors, one in from of me, one at my left. I tried this one first and I guessed right, I was now in a living area with a lighted fireplace, a couch, a round dinner table with four purple french chairs and a small kitchen. I knew where I was now, and that wasn't Carrow's private chamber, it was the Headmaster's.  
Trying to concentrate on going back to my bedroom rather than thinking of how I'd got there, I walked towards the door that would take me to the spiral staircase and down to the Headmaster's office, but it was locked.  
Dumbledore had never locked his rooms before, he always said that anyone who knew the gargoyle's password was welcome up there.  
I tried a few wandless spells in vain and then I heard a snoring and I realized there was someone sleeping in the couch near the fire. It was Severus (Who else could it be?), curled up in the small couch, sleeping on his dayly clothes, using his right arm as a pillow and resting his left arm on his tight. He wouldn't move an inch, and if it wasn't because he snored from time to time, I'd said he was dead rather than resting.  
He looked peaceful, even happy... he really didn't look like someone able to harm another person, but I knew he had.  
His wand lied on the tea table, next to an empty glass that was still giving off a strong smell of whisky. I took the wooden instrument and once more, I failed on unlocking the door; so I went back to the couch, and standing behind it, I took the Headmaster back from his dreams tipping his shoulder with his wand.  
"Wha-..." he muttered sleepily as he looked around and back at me, waking up... "Minerva..." he whispered my name as he sat up on the couch, "... is that my wand?" he asked.  
"I only need you to open the door, I really want to go back to my bedroom..." I said clear and dry.  
"That won't happen..." he stood up, took the empty glass from the tea table and passed through me to take it to the kitchen sink, not caring about me carrying his wand.  
"I mean it, Severus... I had a hard day so don't try me..." I threatened.  
"You had a hard day?" he raised his voice approaching me and I found myself stepping backwards to avoid him, "I woke up thinking you were safely out of the school only to find out you had been irresponsible enough to go after Carrow..." his voice was louder at every step he made and, if I didn't know better, I'd say he was upset... "Do you have any idea how you endangered yourself this morning?!" he yelled at me and he thumped the dinner table with his fist as I felt the cold stone wall at my back, "Damn it, Minerva! Didn't you learn anything after getting punished?"  
There it was, the Severus from these last months... reminding me of those humiliating minutes of my life.  
"Indeed, I learnt what a hypocrite you are..." I said and the expression on his face changed, "At one moment you're trying to convince me to ask for mercy or run away, and at the other you're branding your wand against me... Just like you did with Albus..." my voice broke but I held my tears, with my left harmed hand I was trying to keep the bed sheets in place, with my right hand I was pointing at him with his wand, "he trusted you, but you killed him coldly... I'll never forgive you for that..."

* * *

SEVERUS

In her words there's something else, something hidden that I can't read... I stare at her eyes and step closer, but she stiffens her arm and I know she'll attack me if I move. We're just some feet apart.  
"You should get dressed, you have clean clothes in the bedroom," I say, "I asked the houselves to bring them." Albus has never been a good conversation theme for us... even when he was alive we'd have opposite opinions about his ideas, his ways, his decisions...  
"How did I got here?" she asks not taking my wand down.  
"Longbottom told me you'd gone to fetch Carrow so we came down to the dungeons to find you... I found you unconscious on his bed..." I see the fear on her eyes and I must tell her the truth, "He hadn't touch you, I got Poppy to examine you... but you were covered in bruises so she had to remove your clothes to apply a healing lotion..." her expression softened.  
"I guess I must thank you, Headmaster," I could feel the displeasure on her tone.  
"You owe me nothing," I reassured her.  
"Of course I don't," she said, "you lashed me, and now you saved me, we're even..." I couldn't help but smirk at her remark and she glared at me.  
"Do you find me funny, professor Snape?" she says with a sarcastic formality.  
"Only sometimes, professor McGonagall..." I reply.  
"I'll go get dress and when I come back you'll unlock that door for me..." she said back to the threatening tone.  
"I told you already, that won't happen," I insisted.  
"Open that door," she demanded not moving the wand an inch. With a quick move and trying not to hurt her, I stepped forwards and disarmed her. We were now close enough to feel each other's hearts beating fast.

* * *

Minerva

I wasn't expecting him to try disarming me and he moved very fast. I startled, my left hand ached and the bed clothes that were covering me felt to the ground... I was now nude between the wall and him.  
I opened my eyes wildly and he glanced down to get a peek of my naked body.  
"You should get dressed," he said avoiding my eyes.  
"If I'm going to be your prisoner you shouldn't be ashamed of seeing me naked..." I regretted those words the same moment they came out loud.  
"Trust me, I am anything, but ashamed, professor," he came even closer, and I didn't know why until I found myself trapped between the wall and his erection. Oh my... He put his wand in his pocket and took his lips to my neck, he smelled my hair and draw a line of kisses from my throat to my shoulder, "please, ask me to stop..." he begged me, but I didn't move an inch.

* * *

WARNING: Don't read further if you're under-age or you think this will affect your sensibility...

* * *

He placed his warm hands on my waist and brushed his fingers slowly up to by breast, massaging them as his lips left small kisses on them. Suddenly, using his indexes and thumbs he pinched my nipples and I groaned, not in pain, but in pleasure and he kept massaging me.  
Softly, he grabbed both my and pulled my hands above my head... I didn't struggle, though I did groan because of my aching wrist. With his left hand, he kept my hands pinned against the wall while his right hand caressed my left arm in its way down, tickling me. It massaged my breasts again, harder and then draw a line down from my neckline, to my navel, and from there, to my sex.  
"Please, say me no..." once again, he implored me, but I was speechless, overwhelmed by how good his touch felt.  
His fingers began to rub my clitoris as his teeth bite my ear lobe softly, and he kept leaving small kisses all the way down to the side of my neck as he increased the speed of his fingers movements. I moaned when my mouth suddenly was assaulted by his... he kissed me in a starving way and then he sweetly bite my lower lip as two of his fingers filled me.  
Oh! The feelings was unexpected and delightful... He kept them inside me, pulling them up in, even making my feet abandon the safe feeling of the cold ground for a moment.  
He took them out and raised them up to the level of his eyes... they were covered on a clear liquid that he smelled and I blushed...  
Not letting go of my hands, he took them down and we turned around and he made me step back until my backside felt the table edge. I gazed at him, not daring to say a word, afraid that if I opened my mouth I'd made him stop.  
I could still feel his erection on my tight as pulled me back so I'd lie on the table facing the ceiling. I was completely naked and he was completely dressed. He let go of my hands and I watched him unbutton his trousers under his clothes and making them fall to the ground.  
Maybe it was because of the long time it had been since the last time I'd seen a man naked, but his erection looked huge to me... too big to find place inside me. I opened my eyes wildly, jaw opened, as he faced me and placed his hands on my knees. He separated my legs apart and for a slight moment I thought on stopping him but then I realized it was too late for that and before I could prepare my self, he had already made his way in.  
I groaned.  
His hands brushed my thighs as he moved in and out in a slow pattern. That was a something I hadn't enjoyed for a long time... too long.  
He grabbed held my hands and with a neat movement, he made me sit up on the table without stopping his in and out pattern. Now we were chest to chest, me naked, him still dressed. He took my hands to my back and his left hand made sure they would stay there as his right hand grabbed the table strongly, not to lose his balance. His lips came back to my neck, which they'd neglected for a long while, and began to kiss it softly, drawing a line from my throat to my shoulder as he increased his rhythm.  
At this point, he used his right hand to keep me still and I didn't thought I could take it anymore. I buried my head between his shoulder and his neck and bite his clothes to silence a cry and bear the overwhelming amount of pleasure as I climaxed and he found his release and emptied himself inside me.  
Oh...  
He let go of my hands and we stayed like that for a moment, panting, chest to chest, with my legs around his thighs, my head on his shoulder and his on mine.  
"You should get dressed," he said moving apart, pulling his trousers up and avoiding to look at me.  
"Will you let me go after?" I asked standing up and taking the bedclothes from the ground to cover myself back, thought... there was no reason for that anymore.  
"No."

TO BE CONTINUED...

* * *

A/N: I'm sorry for those who didn't want this to be a MM/SS love story... when I began writing it I wasn't sure of how it would go...


	9. Chapter 9

**** I apologize in advance for the grammar and spelling mistakes you will surely find...**

**A/N: This was meant to be part of the 8th chapter but it didn't convinced me so I cut that part in order to review this. ENJOY!**

* * *

**The punishment - 9**

MINERVA

The third door of the small corridor of the Headmaster's private chambers took me to an elegant bathroom with a large bath, more like a small pool. I dipped myself into the water as I thought about what had just happened... What had I done? Had I been so desperate for some carnal contact that I'd allowed myself to surrender to Severus touch...? or was that something I already desired...?  
I was confused... He was a traitor, a killer, a Death Eater... he'd coldly killed Albus and physically punished me... but it was true that his lashes had felt less painful than Amycus... No! Why was I trying to excuse him? There was no excuse for what he'd done... but what about for what I had done...? I had let him possess me without offering any resistance... even worst, he'd begged me to ask him to stop and I had kept quiet... but why would he beg me when he was in control?  
Oh... it was so bloody confusing! He was confusing.  
I embraced myself with one of the soft towels hanging on the wall and and crossed the corridor back into that bedroom where I'd woken up a couple hours ago in the darkness. I turned the light on.  
The four posted bed where I'd been sleeping was in the center of the room, opposite to it there was a tall drawer, on the left a desk with another french chair and on the right a window with long purple curtains preventing the sun to come in. I crossed the room and opened them... the sun was just bathing in the lake water and I wondered what time it was.  
It was then when I noticed the armchair in the corner with a pile of clothes, my clothes, lying on it. There were enough for a long stay, what meant that the Headmaster was indeed determined to keep me prisoner in his chambers for some reason... maybe to satisfy his own carnal desires like before.  
I walked out the bedroom and went into the living area. Severus was gone and once again I tried to open the door in vain. I missed my wand... I lost it in Amycus' chambers and who knows if I'd get it back... I had an old wand in the second drawer of my desk that I've always kept just in case but... as long as I couldn't get out, it wasn't much help.  
Resting my back on the magically locked wooden door I saw a tray with food on the dinner table where we... .. . I was starving, so I sat down, grabbed the croissant on the plate and bite it like if I hadn't eaten in days. I served myself some tea, with two spoons of sugar and no milk and as I sipped the hot liquid I noticed a note next to the tray.

_Dear professor McGonagall,_  
_There's many things we should clear out. Anything you need you can ask Winky._  
_S.S._

_P.S. She has explicit orders not to let you out, so don't bother asking her._

What kind of cold murderer makes you feel how he'd made me feel only a few hours ago on that table and leaves you breakfast after that... A psychopath? Severus was introvert, but he'd never looked like a psyco to me...  
After finishing my breakfast I taked the tray to the sink of the small kitchen and following my captors suggestion, I summoned Winky and asked her to bring me my wand, the one in my office. She wasn't sure about having to manage a wizard's' wand but I told her she only had to carry it like she'd do with the tray and that there would be no problem. The house-elf disappeared with a *pop* and as I waited for her I walked around the room examining every detail... Severus hadn't really made much changes, everything looked like when Albus was here, though there were some personal things missing like the portrait of his sister or his book collection... I guessed Aberforth had kept those things and I walked to the bookshelf and scan the titles Severus had brought with him to the Headmaster's chambers.  
Most of them were about the Dark Arts, about its history and about attacking and defensive spells, the rest were potion recipes books.  
Winky arrived holding my replacement wand like if it was burning, I thanked her and she left, not without leaving the dirty dishes cleaned first.  
I wasn't wandless anymore, and though I knew it would be useless, I spent some time trying other spells to unlock the door, make it explode or remove whatever spell was on it... It was impossible. Frustrated, I walked to the window and looked down... even in my cat form trying to jump would be a suicidal mission, so I grabbed one of those thick books from the bookshelf and lied on the couch to read. The small clock on the fireplace said it was ten o'clock.

* * *

SEVERUS

I hadn't been able to stay in the room after... .. . I hadn't been with a woman since... I couldn't even tell... but it had been amazing, feeling that way, able to please a woman... and not any woman but Minerva... I didn't know what was happening to me with her, I only knew I had a strong need to keep her safe and close.  
In the school everybody was worried about Minerva's sudden disappearance... The Carrows because they had no idea of how she'd escaped from their chambers if she was unconscious, the students because they didn't like the idea of their new heroine being dismissed without a reason and the teachers because they didn't believed that story. Once again, I became the responsible for that and, once again, they were partly right.  
I went back to the Headmaster's chambers at lunchtime and found Minerva reading one of my old books about the Dark Arts. She was so concentrated in her lecture that she didn't notice me stepping in.  
"Did you find any spell to blow up the door, yet?" I startled her. She sat up on the couch and left the book on the tea table.  
"No, but I did found a couple that would help me convince you of letting me go..." she said in a tone that I wasn't sure if she was serious or was responding ironically.  
"Let's go eat," I said walking towards the table that the house-elfs had just dressed with a nice purple cloth that matched the chairs. I had asked them to set the table for two as soon as I was back, and so did they.  
"I'm not hungry," Minerva said from the couch, "I only want you to unlock the door."  
"I told you, I..." I turned around to face her only to realize she was branding a wand to me...  
"I won't lie, what we did earlier was fun and I really enjoyed myself, but I don't like being kept against my will, specially by two-faced traitors..." she talked with honesty, I could feel, but there was also a hint of fear in her eyes... She feared me, I didn't like that.  
"Minerva..."I tried to approach her.  
"Don't!" she stopped me, "I won't hesitate this time, open the bloody door unless..."  
"Unless what? You're not going to kill me, you're not like that... I am," I said, stepping ahead and all of a sudden she sent some spell towards me that made one of the french chairs explode into pieces. I let go a curse and she smirked.  
"Don't underestimate me, Severus..." at that moment I remembered her dueling against Alecto only a few days ago.  
"Minerva, we should talk first, please..."  
"I don't want to talk..."  
"Minerva I won't let you leave these rooms as long as being in the castle puts you in danger... so whatever you're going to do with that wand, do it..."  
"I can take care of myself," she pointed.  
"Like you did today?" I gazed at her and I could feel the nervousness increasing in her, "Amycus Carrow has a fetish predilection for women who hate him... You put him to his nerves showing your pride during the punishment and then making it very clear that you dislike him... He was very close yesterday... if he's able to get you again he won't fail..."  
"Why do you have to be so unnervingly confusing?" she questioned, no irony, no anger... only desperation, "One moment I learn you've killed Albus, you run away without explaining yourself, you come back to manage the school with tyranny and impose severe punishments to anyone, including me... and the other... you're this man, claiming everything you do is for a good cause, asking me to keep safe and..." she stopped there, took some air, and talked again, "and making love with the tenderness you showed me just a few hours ago in this very same table." she pointed at the furniture behind me and stare at my eyes, "I'm confused because I don't know what to think, what to feel... I feel I hate you and that I couldn't live without you at the same time and that's driving me crazy..." her eyes filled with tears but she kept her wand pointing at me.

* * *

MINERVA

"He asked me to do it," what as he talking about no?, "he'd been cursed, he was dying and..." oh my... was he actually talking abut Albus, excusing himself for killing our friend after all those months... He kept talking "Albus learned Malfoy had been asked to end with his life, and that I'd made an unbreakable vow with Narcissa to fulfill that job if the boy failed so... he said I should be the one to kill him when the time come..." he looked at me and I put my wand down.  
We stared at each other for a moment... I'd say he was saying the truth but... did I believe him? Could I? Should I? … Albus asking to die... it was painful to accept but, it did sounded as something that would only occur to him...  
If it was true, it would all make sense... Severus running away during the summer to avoid being formally accused for what he'd had to do, learning the Dark Lord's plan to take the school so becoming Headmaster to keep an eye on the Death Eaters... He tried to convince me not to defy the Carrows and... Poppy was right, he took Amycus place during the punishment to ensure he wouldn't harm me more... It was making sense, wasn't it? Maybe I was just making it up so it would...  
"Please, say something," he begged breaking the silence.

TO BE CONTINUED...

* * *

_**To the readers of this story (rather they like it or not),**_

_**I feel a little lost here... I know it's my fault, for insisting on involving them in some kind of relationship when some of you warned me not to, but I'm not sure what Minerva could say, if she does say something... I know what I'd like to happen, but I don't want to force events so, though it makes me very happy when you press the "follow this story" button... I wouldn't mind if you left me a comment and tell me something to know what you actually think about it (good or bad). It has always helped me clear my mind to know people's reaction...**_

_**Any way, thanks for reading, really thank you for following, I hope you enjoyed this part and the entire story, and if not, I'm sorry. ** _


	10. Chapter 10

**** I apologize in advance for the grammar and spelling mistakes you will surely find...**

**A/N: I'm sorry for the delay, I hope you enjoy this part. ^.^ I'm sorry if I rush things or if you dislike the progression of the plot, the original idea was never meant to be so long and I've done bad decisions in thsi story that now I have to "correct" somehow.  
**

* * *

**The punishment - 10**

.

SEVERUS

"I've told her the truth, what nobody was supposed to know. I was sincere, for once I stopped lying and kept no detail to myself... but, she didn't respond, she said no word... " I said, "she rushed into my bedroom and I left regretting every word. I told you she wouldn't listen."  
"I'm sure she listened," Poppy Pomfrey reassured me from the other side of her desk as we enjoyed a hot afternoon tea. "She only needs time. You must understand it can't be easy for her to believe you while she's a prisoner in your quarters."  
"She's no prisoner, I'm only trying to keep her safe, and I've explained it to her as well..."  
"I'm afraid that is something hard to understand for someone who is used to be on her own... so go and talk to her again, calmly." Sometimes Poppy reminds me of Albus, seeing things simpler than they really are... but anyway, I did as she said.

Back in my quarters there was no sign of Minerva, so I guessed she would still be in my bedroom. I knocked the door and receiving no answer I knocked again and tried to open the door. She'd locked it.  
"Minerva, I know you're in there, please let me in so we can talk..." I tried to sound polite but the truth is she was putting me into my nerves.  
"Are you going to let me out?" she asked from the inside.  
"We already discussed that," I murmured.  
"Then I rather be my own prisoner than yours," oh, she was stubborn!  
"Minerva, please, this is ridiculous!" I yelled.  
"If you want me to come out you'll have to let me leave your quarters," she insisted.  
"This has no sense at all," I don't even know why I tried to reason with her, "at some point you'll have to come out to eat something."  
"I'll starve to death before pleasing you."  
I was going to reply but held myself before putting up a fight. At least, she was save.

* * *

MINERVA

"Alright, Minerva, it'll be your way, then..." he said and I couldn't believe he was finally giving in, "good night."  
Wait, what? He was actually letting me stay in his bedroom without any food? Oh, was he impossible!  
I sat on the bed after listening to his steps leaving, I laid my back on the cold wall, and distracted myself by drawing light figures in the air with my old wand.  
He wanted to talk again, what about? Hadn't he said enough at midday? Was there anything else to add to all that story about Albus' death? I didn't even know if I wanted to believed it... If it was true then Severus would somehow be innocent of everything I had accused him of, but then it would mean Albus had decided to die... he had sacrifice himself for... what? the war, Harry, Severus? I sighted. It wasn't hard to believe that but... then he'd had betrayed me because he would have planned all that without saying me a word and that... that wasn't fair.

I felt asleep while trying to make up my mind and when I opened my eyes it was dark and I needed to use the toilet. I uncharmed the door and crossed the corridor the bathroom and since I was out of the bedroom I stepped into the living room with the intention of grabbing something to eat. As I looked through the cabinets of the small kitchen I was startled by a hand on my shoulder. Severus was up.  
"I knew you'd come out at some point, but I never imagined you'd had so little resistance..." he mocked me.  
"I needed to go to the restroom," I said making an effort not to sound offended by his comment..  
"If you're hungry, your dinner is on the table," he pointed at the furniture where we let our passion go the day before and there was a plate of chicken soup. I avoided his look, but I bet he was grinning and happy to see me sitting down. I took out my wand to warm the soup and left it by my side. Severus sat down in front of me, crossed his arms on the table and remained in silence while I sipped my soup..  
"I don't like being watched while eating," I declared.  
"If you'd come out at a proper time for dinner I would just join you, but since it's two in the morning, I have no other thing to do than watch you," he replied and I had another spoon.  
The silence was oddly uncomfortable, and I say oddly because we were used to say no word to each other, but this time was different, I was trying to read his mind and I could feel his eyes doing the same on me... things had changed.  
"I guess that even if I believed you, things wouldn't be like they were before, right?" I asked.  
"Do you?" he wondered.  
"Do I what?"  
"Believe what I told you..."  
"I don't know," I tried to be honest, "if it's true, it means Albus died willingly and I don't like to believe that; but if it's not, it confirms that you are a cold blooded killer, and I don't like that either..."  
"I am not a cold blooded killer," he said staring at my eyes. I looked at my soup and none of us said another word until I was finished.  
"So, what now?" I asked.  
"What do you mean?"  
"Well, we have established that you and Albus had a plan thanks to which everybody hates you, although you're partly innocent, but you won't let me leave so... what happens now?"  
Severus stood up and walked around the table towards me, standing in front of me he seemed taller.  
"What if we move near the fire and talk while sharing a glass of wine," he said while offering me his hand, "and by talk I mean no wands involved," he pointed taking out his wand and leaving it next to mine on the table.  
"The wine sound good," I said standing up but rejecting to held his hand.

* * *

SEVERUS

I took a bottle of french red wine from the kitchen cabinets and two glasses and went back to Minerva, who was sitting on the couch, with her bare feet on the pillows.  
I explained her everything not to leave any voids or doubts on her, I gave her every detail of Albus plan and all we had found out about Voldemort and the Horocruxes, I confessed every thought that had passed through my mind during those months, even that night at the end of July when I thought the best I could do was finish with my own life.  
"I spent the entire afternoon brewing a potion that would stop the heart of whoever drunk it in thirty minutes," I explained, "the Dark Lord wanted it to interrogate some prisoner, blackmailing him with the antidote. I was tired of obeying orders, of being part of a plan, of having so much in my hands, of being responsible for so many lives... when I finished brewing it I grabbed a spoon and tasted it." Minerva let go a silent cry and opened her eyes widely, "I knew that dosis wouldn't even have the slight effect on me but it was the taste of death, of relieve... three full spoons of it and I would join the Headmaster in his eternal peace... I would be free." I could feel Minerva's worry about my happy tone while talking about death.  
"What prevented you to do it if you were so close, if it seemed so easy?"  
"The thought of Dumbledore peacefully watching me from wherever he is," I said and she frowned her eyes brows, "it's true, I didn't wanted to be like him, he left me here on my own, not really knowing what to do, and if I took my life away I would do the same with Potter, Hogwarts... you..." I looked at her and took my hand to her face caressing it softly from the corner of her eye down to her chin, "I already knew the Dark Lord was planning on taking the school and I couldn't leave you fighting the Death Eaters on your own..." I confessed, "Although maybe then the Carrows wouldn't be here and you wouldn't have been lashed..."  
"I'm glad you came back to sense that night," she smiled, "and about the Carrow's punishment... I asked for it on my own, you tried to prevent it to happen all the ways you could without risking your position so... stop blaming yourself about that..."  
"I can't, I keep remembering when I helped Poppy clean your wounds and your marked skin... thinking that I had something to do with it..." while I talked Minerva knelt down giving her back to me.

"Unzip me," she said, "come on," she insisted seeing my hesitance. I did as I was told and pulled the zip of her dress down from the back of her neck to the lowest point of her back. Slowly she freed her arms from the tight fabric and then slide it down to her waist. Her back was completely naked in front of my eyes except for her underwear. "Now, how many recent marks do you see?" she asked, and it took me a while to realize she was actually talking to me.  
I scanned her pale skin, there were those old wounds I had already noticed in the hospital wing that afternoon, and above them, still in blood-red color, there were four straight lines marking her back like the scratch of a giant beast. Carefully, I brushed them with my fingers, like if I was counting them, and she shivered.  
"There are four," I murmured, still in contact with her skin.  
"That's right, only four, not six..." she was right, "your lashes didn't leave any mark, Severus... like Poppy said, you did try not to hurt me..." she was going to turn around to look at me, but I didn't let her, I bend down and left a kiss on every one of those wounds and she moaned. I liked that sound on her mouth.  
I knelt down as well behind her and kissed the mark under her neck, it was a thin like about four fingers long, almost unnoticeable.  
"What's that from?" I asked.  
"During the war, in the fields of Scotland, a man stabbed me with a daga while I was dueling with another," she explained.  
"That was not a fair combat," I added.  
"A couple inches to the left and I wouldn't have been able to tell," her voice broke, my hands on her waist so she wouldn't turn around, "fortunately help arrived on time."  
I bend down again and kissed the mark of an old burn under her shoulder that continued down to the middle of her back, "what about this?"  
"An explosion, they attacked the us during a meeting, this time I could escape on my own feet but others couldn't."  
"And this?" I asked brushing with my finger a scar that began at the right side of her back and continued to under her breast, so I crawled on the floor to follow it and I stopped in front of Minerva, with my hand under her breast.  
"That's from the stunning spells I received a couple years ago..." yes, I remember that, I couldn't believe when they told me and I had visit Minerva in St. Mungo but she was always unconscious.  
"I wish I had been there to give it back to that old toad," I said and she left go a laugh that became another moan as my hands massaged her breasts on my way to the rear of her bra. Once I had undone it I slowly slide it down her arms and let it fall to the ground as I contemplate her naked torso. Was she beautiful!

* * *

MINERVA

He came closer to me and as he kissed me under my chin drawing a line to my ear, he undid my hair and let it fall down my shoulders. He slightly made me lay down on the ground, pulled up my legs so my hips didn't touch the floor and pulled down the rest of my dress. He climbed up my body leaving a path of kisses and being on top of me he stared at my eyes, left a soft pick on my lips and then really kissed me.

When I opened my eyes the sun was completely bathing the room. I was lying on the stone floor. I turned around and I met Severus, resting his head on his left hand and gazing at me.  
"Hi," I said.  
"You look beautiful on the morning," he said and moved closer to kiss me.  
"Thanks, I guess," I muttered using my hand as a brush to comb my hair, but he held it and left a kiss on its back.  
"Stop it, you do look beautiful," he repeated, "and you make my life seem beautiful," he added and I melted at his words, "I love you." It was almost a whisper, but I heard those last three words clearly... before I could react he had pulled me into his embrace and was kissing my neck as his hand was going down my body.  
"Let me go," I murmured and he moved apart.  
"Did I hurt you?" he wondered with a worried tone.  
"No, Severus," I sat down with my back on the couch feet and using my dress to cover myself, "you said you love me, if you really do, let me go, let me free..."  
"I can't," he also sat down, his back on the armchair's feet.  
"I'll leave, I'll go back home, I'll keep myself away from Amycus Carrow if that pleases you but... I can't stay in here pretending that door isn't locked..."  
"I could unlock it," he said, "if you promise not to go out."

TO BE CONTINUED...


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: First of all, sorry for the big delay, on this and any other of my stories you're following (I've not been in my best place lately). Secondly, It's almost 2am here, so I apologize in advance for my grammar and spelling mistakes. And finally, this is going to be short, but it has to be like this because it's a transition between where we were and the end... which will come soon, I hope.

* * *

The punishment - 11

I grabbed a parchment , a quill and some ink and wrote a few words down although I didn't knew for sure my "plan" - if it could be cold a plan - was going to work. I left my letter on tea table and waited on my animagus form behind the door.  
I was determined to escape. Not that I really wanted to leave, because I was really having the time of my life with Severus, only the two of us in his private rooms of Hogwarts but, the fact that he could go out on the morning while I had to stay enclosed behind that door made me feel a prisoner. Alright, a prisoner in a fairy tales castle with a charming prince who always had the most beautiful words to say to me but, a prisoner anyway.  
So about midday, I heard footsteps coming and the door opened. As fast as I could I passed through Severus legs, crossed the door frame and became free, again.

* * *

SEVERUS

I did feel something when I came inside but at that moment it didn't occur to me that Minerva would ran away. We hadn't talked about the locked door issue for days and I really thought she'd come into her senses. Obviously, she hadn't.  
I looked for her in every room but she was clearly gone, which I couldn't understand until I found the perfectly folded parchment on the tea table addressed to me.

_My dear Severus,_  
_I am sorry, I have had to leave. Deeply inside I know that if I really succeed on my attempt to do it, I will already be missing you and wishing to be back as soon as I reach Hogsmeade. But this is an unhealthy situation for both of us. Being lover and captor at the same time must be for you as confusing as it is for me, loving you at night and hating you on the morning. I don't want to hate you._  
_Willingly yours,_  
_Minerva._

Every time I reread those words during the following days I smiled at her last words, but at that moment, I let the letter on the table and ran down the halls ignoring all the looks around me, trying to see her, to stop her and tell her that I would let her free, that I would unlock the door, but that please, don't leave me...  
I didn't get to say her that. When I reached the end of the stairs I realized she had left about half an hour before me, so there was no way I could find her in the school yet. At that point, I realized everybody was looking at me, the Headmaster who'd been crazily running through the corridors of the castle, so I hided in the hospital wing.  
"Severus?" Poppy noticed me from her office and approached me, "Are you ok?"  
"She's gone," I said, "Minerva is gone."  
"I know," she answered.

TO BE CONTINUED...

A/N 2: Wow, I'm sorry, on the .doc file it didn't looks so short. I'll try to update soon.


End file.
